Officials of the Department of State
Services attached to the Presidential Villa, Abuja were on Wednesday
ordered out of the premises.
The officials belong to the Body Guard
Unit of the DSS and had been working in the Presidential Villa since the
days of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
THE PUNCH had reported exclusively that
there were moves to replace the operatives with men of the Nigerian Army
Intelligence Corps.
The situation, it had also been reported
exclusively by this newspaper, led to the rejection of about 253 new
operatives of the DSS recently redeployed from the service’s various
state commands to the Presidential Villa.
Our
correspondent learnt that trouble started for the DSS operatives on
Wednesday when a security aide of President Muhammadu Buhari went round
offices in the evening to chase the DSS officials out.
He was reported to have said that a directive had been given that they should no longer be allowed access into the premises.
Some of the affected officials who spoke
with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity expressed shock
over the development.
They however said they would still
resume at their beat on Thursday (today) except they receive a contrary
directive from their headquarters.
“We were asked to leave the premises or
risk arrest. As I am talking to you now, some of us are gathering under
the trees while some others have left.
“It is surprising but we have no choice than to resume here again tomorrow (today) and see what will happen.
“The only reason why we may not come
here is if we receive any other directive from our headquarters,” one of
the officials told our correspondent on the telephone.
But the Presidency in a statement by the
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi
Adesina, said Buhari had not given any order for the expulsion of DSS
officials from the Presidential Villa.
The statement read, “Rumours that
personnel of the Department of State Services have been expelled from
the Presidential Villa are unfounded.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has given no such order.
“While it is true that a reorganisation
of security at the Presidential Villa which involves the realignment of
personnel from various services is underway, the exercise does not
translate to the expulsion of DSS personnel from the premises in any
way.
“The changes being made are routine adjustments which are not unexpected in any dynamic environment from time to time.”
